From being camera-shy to becoming one of the stars of Soccer AM to now running one of the most-loved YouTube channels – it’s been a whirlwind career for Tubes.
The 42-year-old – real name Peter Dale – earned cult hero status amongst football fans during his lengthy time with TV show Soccer AM.
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From his iconic, ‘One Answer only’ segment to bewildering celebrities with his unique rapping, Tubes never failed to put a smile on fans’ faces throughout his 21 years working on the Sky show, which was cancelled last year.
Since then Rocket, another beloved and popular cast member, has created a YouTube channel called Soccer PM, which he told talkSPORT is a ‘homage’ to the ‘glory days’ and his first guest on his first episode was the one and only ‘Tuuuuubbbes’.
It’s safe to say he’s come a long way from his first TV appearance on Soccer AM in 2001, where he initially starred as ‘Peter The Test Tube Baby’.
He never had intentions of becoming that character though.
“I’m quite shy, and I still am,” he told Rocket.
But his persona immediately resonated with fans – and the show’s high-profile guests – which saw Tubes showcase his musical abilities to Hollywood’s elite.
And one interaction with two-time Academy Award winner Denzel Washington stands out the most for him, as he recalled their meeting at the Savoy Hotel in London.
When asked who he enjoyed speaking to most, he said: “Probably the funniest interview I ever did – Denzel Washington or Will Ferrell.
“The Denzel Washington one was weird,” he continued as he recalled the holding room where media are kept before getting their five minutes to interview the guest.
“When you go to a film junket, there’s media there from ITV, BBC – all of the outlets.
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“So I walked in, I used to wear converse with big, baggie jeans and a black shirt, and they’re all in suits.
“They’re like, ‘Oh hello,’ eating their teacakes, and I just sat in the corner playing Snake on my Nokia.
“They were like, ‘Are you here to see Denzel?’, I was like, ‘Well obviously’, I didn’t just come to sit and have teacakes.
“They were like, ‘Oh he won’t like you,’ I was like, ‘Well that’ll be quite good TV then, it’s a win-win,’ and I used to get nervous all the time.”
Rocket then remembered his friend getting so scared interviewing celebs on camera that he used to retch.
Tubes, though, put that to one side and delivered his rap and, to some, an off putting stare.
“I said, ‘You’re a top man, you are Den, I’ve been rapping since I was ten, rapping is for life, not just for Christmas, oooh,’ and I had my eyes closed.
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“And as I was opening my eyes, I can just see Denzel Washington [expressionless], so we’re both staring at each other, I’m staring at Denzel Washington after telling him I’ve been rapping since I was ten.
“And then all of a sudden, he just gave it back and played along. It was amazing.
“So we were walking out and he’s got me in a headlock. He’s like, ‘Don’t f*** with Big Tubes’, and walked past this room, and all the suits are looking with their teacakes – I was like, ‘It went well!'”
While Tubes, who survived a heart attack in early 2018, may have been happy-go-lucky on screen, he struggled with alcohol addiction, but has since been sober for eight years.
The Chelsea fan proudly remarked: “End of May [2024] was eight years [since he last consumed alcohol], so I’m buzzing about it, I’m really happy. It’s the best thing I’ve ever done.”
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Asked by Rocket whether there was a time where he thought he would never be able to stop drinking, Tubes said: “Obviously when I was drinking, I was in that world, and that’s all I was doing.
“But it’s the best decision I’ve made, and the last eight years have been the happiest of my life.”
He has since successfully launched a YouTube channel called Golf Life, which is closing in on 300,000 subscribers where loved his guests and distinct sense of humour.
“Golf is a form of exercise as well, it’s good for the mind, so it was no cigarettes from when I had the heart attack, that got knocked on the head!
“My life has changed and I love it now, I’m more clearer, [I have] more purpose, I couldn’t carry on the way that I was, but I’m buzzing, eight years.”
At its height, Soccer AM was the go-to show to kickstart Saturday mornings off for thousands of football fans. Starting in 1995.
A host of celebrity guests showed their love of football such as Oasis songwriter Noel Gallagher, while Raheem Sterling and Jordan Henderson took part in the skill skool segment.
Lovejoy and Chamberlain and some of the old gang have recently got back together to present a podcast of their own called Soccer A-Z.
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